The New Nazism: Criminalising humanitarianism in Europe

Rescuing
refugees from drowning will be ‘criminalized’ under new EU law –
activists

A petition has been launched calling on EU leaders to scrap plans that
would criminalize those who rescue migrants and refugees arriving on
the Greek islands as part of a push to secure the border between
Turkey and Greece.

London-based
civil liberties watchdog Statewatch has released the confidential
European Commissionreport detailing
the plan, which was outlined in talks between EU ministers in
Amsterdam late last month.

The
proposed plans would remove the exemption for charities, volunteer
groups and others who provide“humanitarian
assistance” to
refugees from being considered “smugglers.” Under
the new rules, which are aimed at reducing human smuggling and
trafficking, these groups and individuals would be criminalized.

The
petition, which has amassed almost 5,000 signatures to date, was
launched by an activist in London and calls on the European
Commission to scrap the plans.

Statewatch
director Tony Bunyan says the plan “fails
to acknowledge the crucial role played by Greek islanders and
volunteers in rescuing and caring for migrants who cross the
Mediterranean in unsafe vessels.

“The
EU should amend its anti-smuggling laws as soon as possible to
confirm that no one giving such vital humanitarian assistance should
ever be penalized for it.”